Clouds rise up to heaven:
The image of [experienced] waiting (5).
Thus the superior man eats and drinks,
Is joyous and of good cheer.
WHEN CLOUDS rise in the sky, it is a sign that it will rain. There is nothing to do but to wait till after the rain falls. It is the same in life when destiny is at work. We should not worry and seek to shape the future by interfering in things before the time is ripe. We should quietly fortify the body with food and drink and the mind with gladness and good cheer. Fate comes when it will, and thus we\'re ready.



The lines
Nine at the beginning [yang at bottom] means:
Waiting in the meadow.
IT furthers one to abide in what endures.
No blame.
THE DANGER is not yet close. One is still waiting on the open plain. Conditions are still simple, yet there is a feeling of something impending. One must continue to lead a regular life as long as possible. Only in this way does one guard against a premature waste of strength, keep free of blame and error that would become a source of weakness later on.
Nine in the second place means:
Waiting on the sand.
There is some gossip.
The end brings good fortune.
The danger gradually comes closer. Sand is near the bank of the river, and the water means danger. Disagreements crop up. General unrest can easily develop in such times, and we lay the blame on one another. He who stays calm will succeed in making things go well in the end. Slander will be silenced if we do not gratify it with injured retorts.
Nine in the third place means:
Waiting in the mud
Brings about the arrival of the enemy.
Mud is no place for waiting, since it is already being washed by the water of the stream. Instead of having gathered strength to cross the stream at one try, one has made a premature start that has got him no farther than the muddy bank. Such an unfavourable position invites enemies from without, who naturally take advantage of it. Caution and a sense of the seriousness of the situation are all that can keep one from injury.